1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a recording medium storage container and an image forming apparatus for storing copy sheets in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a small-sized image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, printer, and facsimile includes a paper supply cassette for storing sheets of paper to be used for copying. The paper supply cassette can be removed from the image forming apparatus, by pulling out a handle provided on the image forming apparatus and the paper supply cassette. The paper supply cassette is of a box and has an opening for storing the sheets at the upper portion of the paper supply cassette. Opening a cover covering the opening allows the sheets to be stored.
Recently, the image forming apparatus including a printer tends to be downsized. To cope with the situation, the paper supply cassette needs to be downsized, too. Because of this, a resin molded type of paper supply cassette in which a handle is integrally provided is in great demand.
Japanese Patent Publication 2005-104716 (Patent Document 1) discloses a paper supply cassette, which stores a plurality of sheets of paper to be sent to the apparatus. The paper supply cassette includes a paper storage unit for storing sheets of paper, a plurality of resin molded frame members for locating the paper storage unit in the body, and a connection member for integrating by interconnecting a plurality of frame members.
The paper supply cassette of Patent Document 1 can make the resin molded frame members smaller. As a result, even if the complex mold that uses rib formation many times is not used, occurrence of shrinkage phenomena at a time of forming resin can be prevented. This enables the frame members having high precision to be easily manufactured, and by integrating them, the paper supply cassette as a whole to obtain high precision.
Japanese Patent Publication Hei 10-157861 (Patent Document 2) is directed to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a detachable rail provided with the left and right side walls, respectively, of the paper supply cassette that is of a box and is to be inserted therein. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus includes an exterior portion on a withdrawing side fastened by a screw on a vertical wall located outside of the image forming apparatus. The exterior portion functions as a handle. With respect to the direction in which the handle is fastened by the screw, there are two directions: a direction in which the paper supply cassette is attached and detached, that is, a direction of attaching and detaching the paper supply cassette, and an upward and downward direction.
Japanese Patent Publication Hei 9-194042 (Patent Document 3) discloses a vertical handle that extends to the direction of attaching and detaching the paper supply cassette, and a horizontal handle that extends orthogonal to the direction of attaching and detaching the paper supply cassette. The vertical handle is mounted on both of the sidewalls of the paper supply cassette, respectively, while the horizontal handle is mounted on a vertical wall locating on an operator's side. A cross shape of rails are formed outside of a bottom wall of the paper supply cassette.
Japanese Patent No. 3471529 (Patent Document 4) is directed to a paper supply cassette. The paper supply cassette of Patent Document 4 includes a case unit for storing sheets of paper, and a handle that is divisible with the case unit. The handle mounted on a side face of a copying machine can be used as a manual paper feeder.
However, as in Patent Document 1, a resin forming product, which integrates the cassette and the handle, renders a forming die thereof larger and a forming cycle time thereof longer because of a complex shape.
In Patent Document 2, since a screw is fastened in a direction of attaching and detaching the cassette (also called a “cassette attaching and detaching direction”) with respect to the image forming apparatus and in a direction orthogonal to the cassette attaching and detaching direction, a boss for fastening a screw is formed on the back side of the handle, which makes complicated a structure of the back side of the handle.
The paper supply cassette of Patent Document 3 similarly connects the cassette with the handle by the screw, rigidity needs to be increased for attaching and detaching the cassette, with the handle held firmly. For accomplishing this, thickness of the cassette and the handle need to be increased, and shrinkage has to be prevented.
Moreover, as in Patent Document 4, even when the handle and the cassette are divided, rigidity of the handle needs to be increased for attaching and detaching the cassette to and from the image forming apparatus, respectively. In addition, thickness of the cassette and the handle need to be increased, and shrinkage has to be prevented.
Accordingly, in order to make the paper supply cassette downsized, when the handle and the cassette are downsized and interrelated, it is difficult to secure a space for an interconnection mechanism of the cassette itself and the handle. Where an interconnection mechanism dares to be provided and the handle and the cassette dare to be interconnected, it is difficult to secure sufficient strength for the interconnection mechanism with respect to a force applied at the handle, to remove the paper supply cassette.
Because the handle includes an exterior portion, good quality in external appearance such as shrinkage, luster or texture is required. Therefore, where a highly precise and complicated dice is necessary, there is a problem that manufacturing cost will be high.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a recording medium storage container that, even when the recording medium storage container is provided separately from a handle, can be compact and secure sufficient strength in an interconnection portion between the recording medium storage container and the handle. The recording medium storage container, although compact, has a simple structure and a good quality in an external appearance. Moreover, there is also a need for an image forming apparatus that includes the recording medium storage container described above.